"He said his trip is open ended," Evelyn explained to Matt.

"Uncle John," he said as though he were reminiscing. "I never really liked that guy."

"Does anyone?" she inquired.

"I'm here you if you need me."

"Thanks but I think I can handle it, you've been through enough."

"Thank you, by the way, for just...for everything you and Elena did at Vicki's funeral and the memorial," he explained. "I couldn't have done it without you guys."

"Of course," she responded. "Is Caroline still baking for you guys, around the clock?"

"She finally went to her dad's, which is a good thing because my mom was going to strangle her if she dropped off one more lasagna," he joked before closing his locker and walking away, Stefan taking his spot.

"Oh, hey," Evelyn greeted awkwardly.

"We left things in a really weird place last time we talked," he explained. "I just wanted to make sure that we're okay."

She placed a book in her bag, "Why wouldn't we be?"

"You seemed...uneasy."

"It was just a long day, that's all."

"So we're good?" Stefan asked one more time, just to be sure.

"Yep," she confirmed when someone's arms wrapped around my waist.

"Hey babe," Tyler whispered into her ear.

Stefan cleared his throat, "Yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna go."

"Bye," she said and turned to Tyler.

"Hey," Evelyn smiled before kissing him, "How are you doing with the, uh, Vicki thing?"

"It's hard, but I think I'm going to get through it."

"That's good," she nodded. "If you need to talk or you need anything? I'm here."

"Thanks," he said before putting his arm around her shoulders and walking her to class.

"I made a copy of a paper Jeremy wrote for me. I think you should take a look at it," Alaric said as he handed Evelyn a paper.

The paper read, 'Fact or Fiction: The Truth About Vampires in Mystic Falls.'

"Jeremy wrote this?" Elena asked, reading over her shoulder.

"He was very clear that he didn't think it was real."

"I really hope you're right because I've done so much to protect him from all of this," Elena said, taking the paper from Evelyn and handing it back to Alaric.

"So, how do you deal with it?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Elena replied in confusion.

"With all the lies and secrets," he explained, "You guys have to lie to everyone who's important to you."

"It's not safe for them to know the truth. So, yes, I keep it from them, but it's only because I love them," Elena answered and Evelyn scoffed but quickly covered her mouth.

There was a long pause before Alaric spoke.

"I think Stefan is a good guy. But at the end of the day he's still a vampire."

"I know it's hard to understand but Stefan is different," Elena defended, "He would never do anything to hurt me."

"Uh," Evelyn spoke up awkwardly, "I have to go."

"Wait, Evie!" Elena shouted after me but she ignored her.

Ever since Stefan was taken by the tomb vamps, Evelyn had been avoiding her because she didn't want to be the one to tell her she's the one who made Stefan drink human blood. The rest of the day had droned on as per usual. At the end of the day, Evelyn went to my locker and put my stuff away.

"Evie, hey," Stefan greeted as he approached her but she shut her locker, pretending she didn't hear him and walked away.

After a much needed shower, Evelyn got ready for the party. She had arrived at the Founder's Day 150 Year Anniversary Kick-off Party late, but at least she had shown up.

"Hey," she said to Stefan, when she saw him at the bar looking a little off.

"Hey. How are you?" Stefan asked, the smell of alcohol evident.

"Are you drunk?"

"Okay, I know it's a little weird but it's really helping me. The alcohol takes the edge off."

"You're totally that drunk high school guy at parties sneaking booze."

"I totally am, yeah."

"Do I need to be worried?"

"No! No, you don't need to worry," he replied, shaking his head. "It's just until the cravings go away. I think we should enjoy it while it lasts. Would you like to dance with me?"

"You hate dancing," she reminded him. "Elena usually has to beg you."

"She has to beg the sober me. With the drunk me, there is no begging necessary."

"There's really no one dancing."

"That's because they need something better to dance to. I'll be right back," Stefan said before walking away.

"Yeah...," Kelly said as she approached Evelyn, "That's not gonna work. I already tried to bribe the guy with 20 bucks and a date. He said Carol Lockwood has complete control over the music choices."

Evelyn looked over at Stefan, who appeared to be compelling the DJ, "You'd be surprised what Stefan can get if he wants something."

"Thank God!" Kelly shouted before joining Stefan on the dance floor.

She shook my head at them when Damon joined her at the bar.

"Have I entered an alternate universe where Stefan is fun?"

"Depends on your definition of fun," she answered and looked at him, "Is he gonna be okay?"

"Eventually," Damon said, looking at his brother, "One way or another."

"I have to find Jenna," Evelyn said quickly, making up an excuse before Stefan came back.

"Hey," she greeted, approaching Jenna from behind.

"Oh, hey," she replied, slightly surprised.

"Having any fun?"

"As much as you can at this things."

"History teacher three o'clock," Evelyn announced when she noticed Alaric walking over.

"How do I look?" Jenna asked frantically.

"Beautiful," she answered as Alaric reached us.

"I was looking for you," Alaric told Jenna.

"Here I am. I haven't seen you in a while."

"Well uh...," Alaric said, glancing Evelyn's way, "Things have been a little crazy but I'm here now. Do you want to get a drink?"

"Sure."

"Okay," he said before they walked away.

Evelyn turned to walk away and almost bumped into Matt. "When did this happen?" Matt asked, pointing up in the air.

"DJ had a change of heart," she explained.

"Do you want to dance?"

"Not particularly."

"I'm taking that as a yes," Matt concluded.

She saw Elena and grabbed her arm, pulling her over, "You two have fun."

"Wait, what?" Elena said but it was too late for her to back out. Matt pulled her by the waist and they were dancing.

"Those two seem to be enjoying themselves," Stefan's voice suddenly appeared behind Evelyn. He was so close that he was breathing on her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

"I have to...be somewhere else," she excused quickly and tried to leave but he stopped her.

"You're avoiding me," he accused.

"What gave you that idea?"

"Well, everytime you see me coming, you run. Everytime I try to talk to you, you make an excuse to go," he informed him. "For example, a few seconds ago."

"Your evidence is circumstantial at best," she told him, looking away from Matt and Elena and up at him.

"What, are you a lawyer now?"

Evelyn glared at him before drawing her attention back to Elena, who looked happy.

"Dance with me," Stefan suggested.

"Pass."

"If you don't do it I'm just going to keep thinking you're dodging me."

She looked back at him and sighed, "Fine." He grabbed her hand and pulled her out to the dance floor.

Unprepared for the raise of the floor, she tripped and bumped into a man.

"Wow! Watch it!" the man shouted.

"I'm sorry," Evelyn apologized quickly. "I'm clumsy, it's my fault."

"Then get off the dance floor."

"Excuse me?"

"That no way to talk to a lady," Stefan interrupted angrily.

"Whatever," the man said, turning to leave.

Stefan grabbed his arm before he could walk away and compelled him, "I think you need to apologize."

"I'm sorry," the man said to Evelyn blankly and tried to leave once again but Stefan stopped him.

"Now say it like you mean it."

"I'm really, really sorry."

"Stefan, it's fine," Evelyn spoke up. "Let it go."

"Now walk away," Stefan said, pushing the man as he left.

She looked up at Stefan in disbelief and he looked down, touching her arm in comfort. "You alright?" he asked gently.

"Um, yeah," she said, shaking his hand off, "I have to go, there is something I need to do."

Evelyn made her way through the hall when Matt approached her, "Who knew I've been missing all the fun at the Founders' parties?"

"This is rare, believe me," she said with a small laugh.

"Is it bad that I'm enjoying myself?"

"No, it's great that you are enjoying yourself."

"Air, I need some air. Come with me?"

"Sure," Evelyn answered when she saw Stefan almost knock someone over.

"You haven't seen my mom have you?" he asked as we walked.

"No, not in a while," she replied. "Have you seen Tyler? I've been looking for him but haven't seen him anywhere."

Evelyn stopped in her tracks when she saw something she never thought she would see.

"What the hell are you doing man?" Matt demanded, pushing Tyler away from his mother.

"Matt?" Kelly shouted in shock.

"Mom!"

"Whoa, dude calm down," Tyler suggested before he saw Evelyn standing there and his cocky expression dropped.

Before Tyler could make any excuses, Matt punched him in the face. They began to fight and Tyler quickly gained control and repeatedly punched him.

"Stop it!" Elena's voice suddenly came, "Tyler! Stop it, you're hurting him! Somebody help us."

Alaric showed up and pulled Tyler off of Matt, pushing him against the wall. "What the hell is that?"

Evelyn stood frozen, trying to process what she just witnessed. The room around her began to spin and voices were faint. Not again.

Someone stood in front of her but she was unsure of who it was and their voice came out faint, "Evie?" She felt herself being guided to another room but her brain couldn't focus long enough to make out her surroundings.

"Why would he do that to me?" she asked, trying to find a focus point. "Why?"

"I can't answer that for you," Alaric's voice came out, more clear than the last time.

"Right," she nodded numbly. "Sorry, um, stupid question."

"It wasn't dumb," he countered. "You just asked the wrong person."

Evelyn nodded weakly, still processing the previous events. Her hand moved to her chest and she closed her eyes, "It hurts."

"It's going to hurt, you just have to get through it," Alaric told her as he took a spot next to her on the guest room bed.

"What if I can't?"

"You will," he replied. "I may not know you that well, but what I do know is that you're strong, and you can get through anything."

"I don't know if I can..."

"You have to at least try."

"Yeah, you're right," she said before standing up and wiping away her tears, "Thank you."

"No problem," he said before standing up as well and following her out of the room.

As she made her way out of the house, Stefan appeared. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," she told him quickly, moving to pass him. "Enjoy the party."

"What is it?" he demanded, his face looking nothing like the usual concerned Stefan.

"Stefan, I swear, it's nothing," she replied. "I'm just tried and I want to go home. Please, let me go home."

He looked at her for a moment before stepping to the side and letting her pass him, understanding that pushing it this time wasn't a good idea.

Evelyn made her way home in a daze and hopped in the shower. She wasn't sure what made her more upset. The fact that it happened or that it was Matt's mother of all people.

She stayed in there for what was probably hours, staring at the wall as she tried to process everything. Eventually, the water became cold and she got out.

She wrapped a towel around herself and entered her room but felt something off. "Hello?" she said quietly into the dark shadows of her room. She shook her head when she realized it was just her imagination and pulled out a pair of shorts and a shirt out of her drawer.

"Elena told me what happened," Stefan suddenly spoke, causing her to jump, her towel almost falling off in the process.

Evelyn pulled it tighter around her chest as she turned to face him, "Why don't you ever just call like a normal person?"

"I'm not normal."

"You're telling me."

"Are you okay?"

"What do you think?"

"He shouldn't have done that."

"I know that."

"You have to let yourself feel it."

"I can't," she shook her head. "I can't let myself fall apart, not this time."

"Be honest about how you feel."

"I feel...numb. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about this. Last time was different but the same and I don't want to fall apart like I did."

"You won't, not with the support you have."

"I can't know that for sure."

"Let me get changed," she told him. "We can talk when I'm done." She made her way into the bathroom and put her clothes on before taking a seat on the bed with him. "Am I just unloveable?"

"You're not unlovable."

"Nobody loves me enough to stay."

"I do."

"That's not what I meant. I meant a-"

"I know what you meant," he cut her off and she looked at him.

"I-" she began, shaking her head. "What?"

"I love you."

"That's not funny Stefan," she told him before standing up.

"It wasn't meant to be," he countered, standing up as well.

"Stefan, I-"

"Let me finish," Stefan requested, successfully shutting her up, "You are the most important person in my life. When we first met, you sort of just...stuck."

He walked closer to her before continuing, "It's the little things. You do what you can to keep the people you love happy even when they don't notice. Your immediate snarky comments to anything anyone has to say. You eat a burger like it could disappear in seconds. The way you roll your eyes at me when I say something you find ridiculous. Or how when your nervous you play with your hands. You're my bestfriend and you always will be, but something changed when I realized I was in love with you."

"You're dating my sister," she reminded him. "You shouldn't be saying that, you shouldn't be feeling that."

"I know."

"So then why did you say that?"

"Because I knew I would be able to take it back."

"Take it back?" she questioned.

He held up her bracelet clearing up her confusion. "Why do you have that?"

"You dropped it at the party."

"So you're just going to compel me?"

"I have to."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not good enough for you," he explained. "I'm not what you need right now."

Evelyn shook her head, "Please don't do this."

He smiled down at her before leaning down and placing a tender kiss on her lips that sent chills through her body. After what felt like a lifetime, he pulled back and looked her in the eyes.

"Forget what happened here," Stefan began, his pupils dilated as he began to compel the girl. "You came home after the party, took a shower and went to bed. Nobody else was here. Do you understand?"

"I understand," she repeated robotically before she blinked and there was no one there.

Evelyn looked around the room in confusion. Her lips tingled slightly and a single tear streamed down her cheek, before she wiped it away. She walked over to the window, shutting it so the cold breeze would no longer be present. Evelyn saw her vervain bracelet lying on her bed and she put it on before she changed and went to bed.